Basic Treatments

Annealing And Other Treatments

Components after being subjected to plastic deformation: gross machining, welding, cold forming, forging or hardening, and generally components where tight dimensional tolerances are required. Generally for steels in annealed or hardened and tempered condition.

Benefits

Treatment has no substantial effect on steel microstructure.

Dimensional stability achieved with lowest distortion.

Technical specification

Components are heated below the eutectoid temperature (Ac1) between 450 - 650°C, using a particular heating and cooling regime. Temperatures are similar to the process called tempering.

Components after machining, welding, cold forming, forging, or generally after plastic deformation, to relieve residual stresses and obtain homogeneous and fine-grain structure. Normalization is primarily used on carbon and low-alloyed steels.

Precipitation hardening steels are classified into structural, spring, tool, heat-resistant alloy steels and stainless steel (PH steels) in conformity with their application. Precipitation hardening can also be achieved on non-iron based alloys as aluminium alloys, magnesium alloys, etc.

Benefits

Less distortion compared to traditional hardening.

Massive parts can be hardened throughout their section.

Improved mechanical properties and corrosion resistance (PH steels).

Technical specification

Solution treatment is done to achieve supersaturated solid solution, followed by natural or low temperature precipitation aging to form disperse precipitates. Intense cooling is usually needed to prevent precipitation of carbides or intermetalic elements on the grain boundaries.